Closure mold for building panels

ABSTRACT

Closure mold between flat surface of building and adjacent edge of building panel having structural member along edge thereof. First flexible strip spans edge of panel with one side of strip along and secured to adjacent portion of structural member. Second flexible strip integral with side of first strip opposite said one side and extends angularly therefrom alongside and inwardly of edge of building panel.

United States Patent Groat 1 Mar. 7, 1972 [54] CLOSURE MOLD FOR BUILDINGPANELS [72] Inventor: MarshallO. Groat, Fort Payne, Ala.

[73] Assignee: Kingsberry Home Corporation [22] Filed: June 22, 1970[2]] App]. No.: 48,011

3,027,605 4/1962 Nelsson .Q ..52/241 3 ,5 70,200 3/1971 Ritner ..52/24lX Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Attorney-Jennings, Carter &Thompson [57] ABSTRACT Closure mold between flat surface of building andadjacent edge of building panel having structural member along edgethereof. First flexible strip spans edge of panel with one side of stripalong and secured to adjacent portion of structural member. Secondflexible strip integral with side of first strip opposite said one sideand extends angularly therefrom alongside and inwardly of edge ofbuilding panel.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures wesm' CLOSURE MOLD FOR BUILDING PANELSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a closure mold forbuilding panels and more particularly to a closure mold adapted for usebetween abutting flatsurfaces of a building, such as adjacent panels ora ceiling member and an adjacent edge of a building panel, such as awall having a structural member extending along an edge thereof, wherebythe edge is covered.

As is well known in the art to which my invention relates, it isdifficult to form prefabricated wall and ceiling panels whereby they fitflush with a flat surface adjacent thereto at all times. It is verydesirable to provide a closure mold which is adapted for use withbuilding panels whereby the space between the edge of the building paneland the flat surface adjacent thereto is covered by merely positioningthe closure mold at the point of juncture of the building panel and theflat surface. Also, it has been difficult heretofore to secure closuremolds to panellike members, such as sheetrock and the like, due to thefact that such building panels are relatively soft and will not retainthe securing means for the mold in place.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with my present invention,I provide a closure mold for use between a flat surface of a buildingand an adjacent edge of a building panel having a structural memberextending along the edge thereof. An elongated flexible strip spans theedge of the panel with one side of the strip extending alongside andsecured to an adjacent portion of the structural member. A secondelongated flexible strip is formed integrally with the side of thefirst-mentioned strip opposite the side thereof secured to thestructural member and extends angularly therefrom alongside and inwardlyof the edge of the building panel to thus cover the point of juncturebetween the edge of the panel and the adjacent flat surface.

A building structure illustrating the manner in which my improvedclosure mold is constructed and erected is shown in the accompanyingdrawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a partition wall having myimproved closure mold associated therewith;

FIG. 2 is a fragmental view taken from one side of the structure shownin FIG. I; and,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmental sectional view showing the closuremold mounted between the building panel and a flat surface, such as aceiling or adjacent panel of a partition wall.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention,I show a partition wall comprising the usual wall panels formed of sheetmaterial, such as sheetrock. Secured to and extending between thebuilding panels 10 are elongated structural members 11. Each structuralmember 11 is preferably in the form of a wood member which extends flushwith the adjacent edges of the building panels 10, as shown. Thelowermost structural member 11 is secured to the usual subfloor of abuilding while the uppermost structural member abuts the ceiling 12 forthe building.

As shown in FIGS. I and 3, the closure mold employed between adjacentwalls of a building or between a wall and the ceiling is shown generallyat 16 and comprises a first, elongated flexible strip 17 of a width tospan the adjacent edge of the building panel 10 with one side of thestrip 17 extending alongside an adjacent portion of a structural member11, as shown. The portion of the flexible strip 17 extending alongsidethe structural member 11 is secured to the structural member by suitablemeans, such as a nail l8. Formed integrally with the other side of theflexible strip 17 is a second, elongated flexible member 19 whichextends angularly from the flexible strip 17 alongside and inwardly ofthe adjacent edge of the building panel 10 to thus cover the same.

The elongated flexible strip 17 is provided with a longitudinallyextending portion adjacent the elongated flexible strip 19 which extendsangularly in an outward direction away from the adjacent edge of thebuilding panel 10. That is, the flexible strip 17 is bent as at 21whereby the end of the flexible member 17 opposite the end secured bynail 18 is adapted to flex toward the adjacent edge of the buildingpanel 10 upon moving the panel 10 toward the flat surface 12 which maybe in the form of an adjacent wall or ceiling. As shown in FIG. 3, thefree end of the flexible strip 19 extends inwardly toward theadjacentside of the building panel 10 whereby it engages the buildingpanel with a snug fit. In FIG. 1, I show the closure mold 16 in theposition assumed where the building panel 10 and the adjacent flatsurface 12 are both straight and in substantial contact with each otherwhereby the flexible member is flexed to a generally straight lineposition. On the other hand, FIG. 3 shows the position of the coverstrip 17 where the wall is bowed or there is a substantial gap betweenthe flat surface 12 and the adjacent edge of the building panel 10.Since the flexible member 17 is movable or bendable about the point 21from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 1, theclosure mold 16 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 adjusts itself automatically tocompensate for any gap between the flat surface 12 and the adjacent edgeof the building panel 10. While I have shown in FIG. 1 the buildingpanel 10 as abutting a ceiling 12, it will be apparent that the closuremold 16 may be mounted between the vertical edge of a building panel 10and an adjacent wall structure.

From the foregoing description, the operation and erection of myimproved closure mold will be readily understood. The flexible strips 17are secured rigidly to the structural members 11 adjacent the edges ofthe building panels 10, as shown. As the adjacent edge of the buildingpanel 10 is moved toward the surface of the ceiling or wall 12 the freeend of the flexible strip 17 is adapted to move fromthe position shownin FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 1 or any intermediate positionto thus compensate for any space left between the surface 12 and theadjacent edge of the building panel 10. As the elongated flexible strip19 moves downwardly alongside the building panel 10, it engages thebuilding panel with a snug fit whereby no space is left between thestrip 19 and the adjacent surface of the building panel.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have devised an improvedclosure mold for building panels. By providing a flexible member whichis secured firmly to the structural member which is mounted alongsidethe edges of the panel and providing a second elongated flexible stripwhich is formed integrally with the first elongated flexible strip andextends angularly therefrom alongside and inwardly of the adjacent edgeof the building panel, the adjacent edge is completely covered. Also, byproviding the flexible strip 17 with a bent portion 21 which permits thefree end thereof to compensate for any space left between the flatsurface 12 and the adjacent edge of the panel 10, I eliminate entirelyunsightly gaps or spaces between the abutting surfaces.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but it issusceptible of various changes and modifications without departing fromthe spirit thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a closure mold for use in combination with a flat surface and anadjacent edge of a building panel having a structural member extendingalong said edge:

a. a first elongated flexible strip of a width to span said edge of thepanel with one side of said strip adjacent one end of said stripextending alongside an adjacent portion of said structural member,

b. means securing said strip to said adjacent portion of said structuralmember,

c. a second elongated flexible strip formed integrally with said firstelongated flexible strip at the end thereof opposite said one end andextending angularly therefrom alongside and inwardly of said edge of thebuilding panel so that said edge is covered, and

d. a longitudinally extending portion on said first elongated flexiblestrip adjacent said second elongated flexible strip extending angularlyin an outward direction away from said edge of said building panel sothat upon movement of said edge of said building panel toward said flatsurface said angularly extending portion of said first elongatedflexible strip flexes inwardly toward said one edge. 2. A closure moldas defined in claim 1 in which said second 5 elongated flexible stripextends inwardly toward the side of said building panel.

1. In a closure mold for use in combination with a flat surface and anadjacent edge of a building panel having a structural member extendingalong said edge: a. a first elongated flexible strip of a width to spansaid edge of the panel with one side of said strip adjacent one end ofsaid strip extending alongside an adjacent portion of said structuralmember, b. means securing said strip to said adjacent portion of saidstructural member, c. a second elongated flexible strip formedintegrally with said first elongated flexible strip at the end thereofopposite said one end and extending angularly therefrom alongside andinwardly of said edge of the building panel so that said edge iscovered, and d. a longitudinally extending portion on said firstelongated flexible strip adjacent said second elongated flexible stripextending angularly in an outward direction away from said edge of saidbuilding panel so that upon movement of said edge of said building paneltoward said flat surface said angularly extending portion of said firstelongated flexible strip flexes inwardly toward said one edge.
 2. Aclosure mold as defined in claim 1 in which said second elongatedflexible strip extends inwardly toward the side of said building panel.